An orange wave of Vivaldi offsprings hit the 6-year old preliminary test at the 2014 World Championshisp for Young Dressage Horses in Verden, Germany, on Friday 8 August 2014. Three Vivaldi offspring, ridden by Dutch riders, captured the top three in a class of 30 turning the 6-year old division into a Dutch dominated fest this sunny Friday morning.
The 6-year old preliminary test was judged by Maria Colliander (FIN), Jacques van Daele (BEL), Annette Fransen-Iacobaeus (SWE) and Liselotte Fore (USA). Three horses unexpectedly dropped out out from the class due to fitness issues, including the sole Australian combination (Eva Moller on Andrea Beatty's Dante) as the horse had knocked itself in the stall. The scoring of the 6-years was more according to the traditional patterns with lots of 8s for good movements, an occasional 9 for excellence and major downscoring for technical mistakes in the submission category. Only the assessment of the walk raised major question marks today as several horses with clear, massive walks were given 7.5 while others put 9s on the board for the movement.
Gerdine Maree and Tim Coomans' Dutch licensed stallion Dream Boy (by Vivaldi x Ferro) topped the leader board with a 8.84 total score. Maree rode a really focused test in which the trot work was well carried and uphill oriented, even though the horse could have been a bit quicker from behind. The half pass left was lovely, but the horse tilted a bit in the one to the right. The medium trot was expressive but in the extended he got a bit hasty. The halt for rein back happened in two attempts. The extended walk had a very good rhythm and clarity but Dream Boy was slightly shorter in the strides with the right front leg compared to the left one. In canter Dream Boy did the first flying change in two phases, the second one was correct but quite short. The horse showed much maturity compared to his performance in Verden last year and is developing into a lovely FEI prospect. The judges awarded Maree and Dream Boy an 8.7 for trot, 8.0 for walk, 9.5 for canter, 8.8 for submission and 9.2 for general impression.
The first starter of the day, Dutch Kirsten Brouwer and the chestnut KWPN stallion Dancer (by Vivaldi x Tango), rode in the early morning mist, but the judges' view was not blurred at all. They saw a wonderful trend setting performance and Brouwer remained into the lead until almost the end of the class. Dancer, who is owned by Ad Valk in combination with Emmelie Scholtens and Jeroen Witte, had a beautiful frontleg usage in trot. He moves uphill, with good self carriage on the curved lines. In the shoulder in left he rushed a bit and he did not halt squarely before the rein back. The extended walk had two hooves overstep, which seemed the horse's limit. In canter, Dancer was balanced in the work but could have been a bit lighter in the bridle, independent from the rider's hands. The first flying change was crooked, the second one short. The pair scored 9.2 for trot, 8.0 for walk, 9.2 for canter, 8.5 for submission and 9.2 for general impression.
Emmelie Scholtens and the KWPN licensed stallion Desperado (by Vivaldi x Havidoff) slotted in third with 8.76. The gorgeous black stallion, which is owned by breeder Andeweg and Ad Valk, paddles in front in trot and could have pushed more from behind, but he is an imposing horse in the arena with his tall and proud presence. In the trot extensions he lengthens the steps but it showed he wasn't really pushing from behind. The walk was very nice with good relaxation and a nice V-show in the clear rhythm. Desperado could chew a bit more on the bit and foam, relying less on his rider's guidance. The canter is uphill and expressive but he totally failed to execute the first flying change, while the second was good. The pair earned an 8.8 for trot, 9.3 for walk, 9.5 for canter, 7.2 for submission and 9.0 for general impression.
The underdog or surprise pair of the day were Danish Jan Moller Christensen on Elsebeth Andersen's Danish warmblood gelding Rosetti (by Romanov x Midt West Ibi Light). The bright bay gelding has a lovely buoyant trot with lots of suspension and showed good independent self carriage. The extended walk was clear in the rhythm with two hooves overtrack and the canter was just beautiful, engaged from behind. Rosetti is not a real flashy eye catcher but he is such a solid dressage horse with FEI talent written all over him. The judges awarded the horse 9.2 for trot, 8.2 for walk, 8.7 for canter, 8.5 for submission and 8.9 for general impression. He finished on 8.70.
Emmelie Scholtens and last year's bronze medal winner Dorado (by Krack C x Rousseau) were fifth on 8.68 points. The trot was elegant with good balance but the horse was often too tight in the neck and dropped behind the vertical in several movements, including the half pass left. In the half pass right the hindquarters trailed a bit and he rushed slightly in the extended trot. The side silhouette of the trot is wonderful though. In the medium walk he had one to two hooves overstep and it was the same in the extended walk. In canter, Dorado could improve on self carriage. The first flying change was good, the second in two phases. The canter strides are large and scopy. He got 9.5 for trot, 7.8 for walk, 9.2 for canter, 7.9 for submission and 9.0 for general impression.
Austrian Stephanie Dearing and the Pengg family's Oldenburg licensed stallion Del Magico (by Dimaggio x Feinbrand) were sixth to the great joy of the Austrian team. The long legged grey stallion has a lovely, functional trot but became wide behind in the medium trot. In the extended trot it was better, even though the hind leg action could push the withers more up. The horse showed much ground cover in walk, but was a bit hasty. In canter the horse worked actively. One flying change was crooked and ridden with the rider throwing her weight in the saddle from one side to the other. The judges awarded the horse 8.8 for trot, 7.8 for walk, 9.0 for canter, 8.8 for submission and 8.9 for general impression. They finished on an 8.66 score.
Marita Pundsack and her 2013 Bundeschampion QC Flamboyant (by Fidertane x De Niro) were seventh with 8.64. The Belgian owned gelding has much cadence in trot and produced strong lengthenings, but could have shown a higher degree of collection. The horse lost its suppleness in the half pass left and went off track in the shoulder in right. The walk was very active and forward with much ground cover and clear in the rhythm. In canter Flamboyant lost the balance and hit one of the fences and he came croup high in the extended canter. The first flying change was in two phases, the second was good. The pair earned 9.5 for trot, 8.8 for walk, 9.0 for canter, 6.9 for submission and 9.0 for general impression.
Text and Photos © Astrid Appels - NO REPRODUCTION ALLOWED (NO FACEBOOK/INSTAGRAM)
Eurodressage's Astrid Appels was on the scene taking photos of all WCYH riders in Verden. Contact us if you are interested in photo prints, digital images, collages or albums.
Related Link
Eurodressage Coverage of the 2014 World Young Horse Championships